'The Vikings' is a minor epic released in 1958. The film stars Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine and Janet Leigh and was produced by Douglas's company, Brynaprod. The story is an action tale about, what else, Vikings. Borgnine is a Viking leader that rapes an English queen during a raid and kills her husband. The queen has a child as a result but sends him away to be raised where he will be safe. Twenty years later, the son, played by Curtis, is taken as a slave by Borgnine's son, played by Douglas, who is, unbeknownst to him, his half-brother. They both fall in love with a Welsh princess, played by Janet Leigh, and, well...you get the idea.
'The Vikings' was filmed in Technirama, an early widescreen process. The transfer is framed at about 2.30:1, though the top of the image appears to have been matted slightly. The quality of the transfer is suprisingly good. Colors are a bit faded but still good. Contrast and brightness are very good, thus helping out the colors a little. The image is clear and sharp most of the time with only occasional signs of age. Overall, this film looks better than it has a right to.
The soundtrack is mono and in about the condition one would expect for material of this age. The dialog is fairly clear but there is a bit of harshness that will probably keep the volume control in check.
The film runs 116 minutes. The disc contains 25 chapter markers, including the fully letterboxed theatrical trailer. List price is $34.95. Fans of the genre should enjoy this disc.
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